Friday, February 8, 2008

Save Union County

This is something that has been bugging me for along time now so I thought I would post some of my opinions on the subject.

I am usually a person who favors progress, i.e. putting in new infrastructure, city and area growth. I feel Vermillion and the surrounding areas need to do all they can to add jobs and grow.


That being said I'm dead against Hyperion building an oil refinery in Union County.I know it would add tons of jobs and attract many new industries to come to this area but I don't know if people are looking at the other side of this enough. For example just this last Thursday we had a local banker and a realtor in our office discussing the Hyperion project. The banker was almost drooling at the prospect of future opportunities for her bank. The realtor then went on to mention she had been contacted by some out of state investors looking to buy land in Vermillion. For what asked the banker? The realtor replies for a strip club, to provide entertainment for the workers building the plant. The banker promptly replies we don't want a strip bar in Vermillion. Thence I throw in my two cents saying if Hyperion does build you won't get that choice. You will have to take the good with the bad.


The bad in my opinion will far out way the good on this deal. Just think about it for a minute. A large population of workers comes to the area to build this thing. The stress it will put on the schools, law enforcement, highways and streets. Not to mention the environmental destruction it will cause; air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution & visual pollution.


If you have ever ridden bike in that area you will know it is one of the most scenic areas around. It has very little traffic, great hills and beautiful views. I can't imagine riding along and looking at a 22 story smoke stack belching out poison.


http://www.elkpointgorilla.com/


http://www.saveunioncounty.com/



Anyway that's my 2 cents.


Later

3 comments:

bikingbrady said...

But what about the poor strippers?

JUST KIDDING...I'm totally behind you on this one buddy! Those narrow roads with no traffic will be a thing of the past. Not ALL progress is good progress.

The Designer's Prospective said...

I don't live there, but it doesn't sound like a good deal. I wouldn't want anything oil where I live!

Anonymous said...

You know, I had never thought to things like that. I don't think I have heard anything in the local media about it either. I was in favor of the refinery given the promise of a clean plant, ya know?

The degradation of an entire communuty is not worth the $